A potential buyer, when accessing an electronic commerce facility (e.g., an online auction facility, exchange or the like) may often be unwilling to conclude a transaction relating to current offerings (e.g., goods or services) provided via the electronic commerce facility for a number of reasons. For example, the potential buyer may be unable to locate an offering that satisfies the exact requirements of the potential buyer. The potential buyer may be unwilling or unable to establish a transaction under the terms and conditions of a current offering, but may be willing to conclude that the transaction if the terms and conditions of that offering are modified, or if an alternative offering having different terms and conditions becomes available via the electronic commerce facility.
In order to monitor an electronic commerce facility for modifications in the terms and conditions of an offering, or to locate an alternative offering that satisfies the requirements of potential buyer, the potential buyer may be required to continually monitor the electronic commerce facility. This continual monitoring of electronic commerce facility is inconvenient and time-consuming.
The above-identified problem is particularly prevalent in the person-to-person electronic commerce environment, where different instances of a specific item (e.g., a book or a compact disc) can vary dramatically in the sale price, condition, format, color etc. Further, the reputations of sellers in such person-to-person environments play an important part in the decision of a buyer to purchase a particular item from a particular seller.